The electoral commission says party membership records submitted within the statutory deadline will determine the validity of nominations for the 2027 elections.
Political parties that nominated candidates whose names were absent from their membership registers at the legally prescribed deadline risk losing the opportunity to contest affected seats in the 2027 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has warned.
The warning follows the Supreme Court judgment of September 24, 2026, which upheld Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026, as well as INEC’s revised election timetable. National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna said the commission was studying the certified judgment before announcing its final position, expected by Tuesday.
Speaking on Trust TV, Haruna argued that allowing a party to replace a nominee who was ineligible at the time of the primary could effectively reward noncompliance. He said the legal consequences might extend from high profile contests to legislative races, depending on the findings of the commission’s review.
Several prominent nominations have attracted scrutiny, but INEC has not, in the material available, issued a final determination disqualifying the individuals concerned. Haruna said the commission must obtain and authenticate the court’s decision before applying it, citing previous instances of forged judicial documents.
Separately, INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan called on online publishers to verify election related allegations before publication. Addressing the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers conference in Lagos through the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ayobami Salami, he warned that false claims and manipulated digital content could undermine voter confidence even after corrections were issued.
Salami also clarified that the authority to formally return election results rests with designated Returning Officers, not every official of the commission. Conference chairman Olisa Agbakoba urged INEC to safeguard the right to vote and deliver credible elections.
In Sokoto, Resident Electoral Commissioner Umar Garba announced that the preliminary voters register would be displayed for claims and objections from October 9 to 15 at registration area centers where security conditions permit. Newly produced Permanent Voter Cards will be available to people registered during the first phase of the previous registration exercise, while cards for other categories are still pending.
After the seven day display, PVC collection is expected to continue at INEC offices in the state’s 23 local government areas. Voters were encouraged to check their personal details and report errors through the prescribed channels.
